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The Padres filled two staff vacancies Tuesday, promoting Willie Blair to the job as major league bullpen coach and adding Brett McCabe as strength and conditioning coach.

Blair, 46, who pitched for the Padres in 1995-1996, has worked the past two seasons as the pitching coach of the Padres Single-A Fort Wayne affiliate. While with the TinCaps, Blair helped develop some of the top young pitching prospects in the Padres system.

McCabe, 33, joins the Padres organization after spending the previous seven seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks. He most recently served as Arizona’s minor league strength and conditioning coordinator, overseeing strength and conditioning programs for each of that organization’s seven minor league affiliates.

The addition of Blair and McCabe left the Double-A manager slot the only vacancy needing to be filled on the Padres staff.

Fort Wayne’s pitchers have finished among the Midwest League leaders in staff earned run average in each of the past two seasons under Blair, who filled the post that was originally offered to veteran Bob McClure. McClure turned down the offer from the Padres for family reasons.

“After McClure, we cleared the decks and took another look at it,” said Padres general manager Josh Byrnes. “We brought Willie down to Nashville to meet with everyone.

“Willie has clearly demonstrated since he’s been with us that he’s an excellent teacher with a tough edge. He’s very real and knowledgeable. He has a good way with players.”

A native of Kentucky, Blair’s playing career spanned 12 seasons starting in 1990. The right-hander was 9-11 with a 4.46 ERA in 100 games (12 starts) over his two seasons with the Padres. He finished with a 60-86 career record and a 5.04 ERA in 418 major league games (139 starts). The Padres traded Blair to Detroit after the 1996 season and his 1997 season with the Tigers was his best (16-8, 4.17 ERA in 29 games, 27 starts).

Blair succeeds Jimmy Jones, who served as the Padres interim bullpen coach following the death of Darrel Akerfelds last June. Jones returned to his spot as the Padres Double-A pitching coach after the end of the 2012 season.

McCabe joined Arizona when Byrnes and assistant Padres general manager A.J. Hinch were with the Diamondbacks. A graduate of Michigan’s Grand Valley State University, McCabe is a licensed massage therapist in addition to as well as a registered strength and conditioning coach.

McCabe’s background is anchored in injury prevention work ahead of traditional weight training. Prior to joining Arizona, McCabe served three seasons as a strength and conditioning coach in the Toronto Blue Jays’ organization.

Padres Notes

--The Padres and the Bank of America have teamed to upgrade Damato Field, a Little League ballpark located in the Murphy Village military housing complex. The renovated field was dedicated Monday. Damato Field was the first of three Little League fields to be upgraded with the help of the Padres this season. The other two are Twins Hills and San Diego American.